The Ford Barn

SAJ · 11-12-2010, 10:13 PM

Seeing Snowbird06's door problems causes me to ask about mine which are the opposite of his. My doors never fly open and the locks and hinges are all good (new hinge pins). But if I jack a single front wheel up about 3 to4 inches, the door on the same side moves outwards (that is, moves laterally) at the bottom, opening a gap at the bottom of up to 1/2 an inch, as the frame twists. The top of the door stays tight to the body. The door lock is then jammed and the door handle will not turn to release it. It can happen on uneven ground and at the top of my very steep drive, when turning around with one wheel on the flat and others still on the slope. This means my wife cannot get in the passenger side so I have to go out to dinner without her! She stood there in amazement as I drove away the first time, but has come to terms with it now and follows me on her bicycle.
Seriously though, Brent Terry offered some solutions for Snowbird06 , but I don't fully understand them. What is the quarter panel and fixing bracket?. How does the frame become torsionally weak? How can this be remedied?
I have rear float A motor mounts and rectangular bonded rubber front mounts. I guess the standard rear mounts would impart some torsional rigidity that the floaters don't.
Frame is free of rust,All body blocks, shims and bolts are in, reset for a good hood fit and tight.
The frame was bent to the right when I got the car and we pulled it back straight on a car Bench without removing the body. Frame rivets may or may not be tight (how does one check easily?). The front crossmember is bolted in , not riveted, after an obvious accident many years ago. The car is RH drive Canadian imported from somewhere to New zealand in 1975. Restored in 1990 and I have done a lot of mechanical work since I bought it 8 months ago.
The car has a lot of 1929 pieces on it, including the non-original engine which I replaced by a Snyders (Schwalms) touring one. Front spring shackles are rubber bushed. They come close to the axle but still retain some clearance even when jacked up and twisted. I have a new front spring (Snyders) which I will fit when I remember to order some proper shackles. Could this affect frame twist by restricting spring movement?
All suggestions gratefully received.

Geo. H · 11-13-2010, 01:10 AM

Henry's frame is flexible. The good news is it gives better traction. A roadster body is also flexible. Get used to it.

SAJ · 11-13-2010, 02:42 AM

Thanks Geo H. If they all do it I am happy to leave it, but opinions in NZ vary and some say I have a bad case of flex. Snowbird06's question and Brent Terry's answer suggested to me I might have too much twist and flex. I notice when the door closes tightly for minimum rattle, the right-angled rubber buffer in the overlap below the handle matts the paint on the rear panel. I stuck on a 6 inch long foam rubber strip the width of the overlap to spread the load and minimise the wear. But I would rather not do something non-original like this. Any more suggestions?

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 11-13-2010, 08:15 AM

I will respond afterwhile with some thoughts however I've got to go meet a customer right now.

SAJ · 11-13-2010, 03:39 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thank you Brent. It will be most appreciated. I see I called your "quarter panel support" a quarter panel fixing bracket in error. I am still not sure what this is, though I have looked all through the footwell area inside the cowl and everything seems fine there. Do the running boards add significantly to torsional stiffness? Thre are some bolts missing at the ends.

11-13-2010, 01:10 AM	#2
Geo. H Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 374	Re: Roadster 1930 door fit problems Henry's frame is flexible. The good news is it gives better traction. A roadster body is also flexible. Get used to it.

11-13-2010, 02:42 AM	#3
SAJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 514	Re: Roadster 1930 door fit problems Thanks Geo H. If they all do it I am happy to leave it, but opinions in NZ vary and some say I have a bad case of flex. Snowbird06's question and Brent Terry's answer suggested to me I might have too much twist and flex. I notice when the door closes tightly for minimum rattle, the right-angled rubber buffer in the overlap below the handle matts the paint on the rear panel. I stuck on a 6 inch long foam rubber strip the width of the overlap to spread the load and minimise the wear. But I would rather not do something non-original like this. Any more suggestions?

11-13-2010, 08:15 AM	#4
BRENT in 10-uh-C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern Tennessee Posts: 11,508	Re: Roadster 1930 door fit problems I will respond afterwhile with some thoughts however I've got to go meet a customer right now. __________________ . BRENT in 10-uh-C . www.model-a-ford.com ...(...Finally Updated!! ) .

11-13-2010, 03:39 PM	#5
SAJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 514	Re: Roadster 1930 door fit problems Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thank you Brent. It will be most appreciated. I see I called your "quarter panel support" a quarter panel fixing bracket in error. I am still not sure what this is, though I have looked all through the footwell area inside the cowl and everything seems fine there. Do the running boards add significantly to torsional stiffness? Thre are some bolts missing at the ends.